Diabetes and Technology

This research provides an in-depth understanding of diabetes, including its types, causes, symptoms, and treatments. It also explores the role of technology in managing diabetes, such as insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitoring, and mobile apps.

Diabetes and Technology

Table of Contents
ABTRACT.......................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Classification of Diabetes.......................................................................................................1
Diabetes Causes......................................................................................................................3
Symptoms in Diabetes............................................................................................................4
Complications in Diabetes......................................................................................................5
Treatments for Diabetes.........................................................................................................6
Technology.............................................................................................................................9
Diabetes & Technology........................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

ABTRACT
The purpose of this research is to deep understanding about the diabetes. This research consist
Types, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments for a diabetic patient; it is also including updates
for current state on diabetes Technology. These updates include information about Insulin pump
and Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), in addition with emerged technology such as
mobile apps for diabetes will be reviewed.
INTRODUCTION
Diabetes is the chronic metabolic condition, in which body does not process food for use as
energy. When we eat food, it turned in (glucose or sugar) for that human body use as energy. The
Pancreas is an organ which lies near human stomach which makes hormone called insulin, to
help glucose get into the cells of human bodies. In diabetes blood glucose or blood sugar cause
serious damage to heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nervous system. Diabetes is the
seventh leading cause of death in United Kingdom.
Key words: Diabetes, Remote health monitoring, e- Health, sensors, mobile apps.
MAIN BODY
Classification of Diabetes
Diabetes divided in various types, such as Type 1, Type 2, Gestational and specific types for
other health condition.
Type One Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes previously known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile
onset diabetes, 5% to 10% cases of diabetes has been fall in this category.
Risk factors are less defined for type 1 diabetes in comparison of type 2 diabetes. It’s been
noticed that, genetic, autoimmune or environmental factors are involved in the development of
this type of diabetes.
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(Source: Diabetes, 2020)
Type Two diabetes
The most common type of diabetes is type 2 diabetes, usually diagnosed in adults. Type 2
diabetes was previously known as non- insulin -dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).
Most likely risk factor on type 2 diabetes included older age people 50 +, obesity, have family
history of diabetes, physical inactive, impaired glucose tolerance, and likely race/ethnicity are
the most popular factors are at the high risk for type 2 diabetes.
In past three decades, dramatically type 2 diabetes patient’s cases level has been raised in various
countries. It’s been noticed that countries whose population income graph is between low -
medium, are more likely victimised. The patients who are living within such countries having
diabetes doesn’t have opportunity to avail easy access to affordable treatments including insulin
is crucial for their survival.
(Source: Diabetes, 2020)
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM)
This type of diabetes mostly diagnosed in pregnant women’s usually 26th or 28th week of
pregnancy, there is no likely symptoms for this type of diabetes because of gestation.
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Specific Types of diabetes due to other health reason,
Other specific types of diabetes are resulted from specific genetic syndromes, surgery, drugs,
infections, neonatal, maturity – onset, and chemical induced diabetes. It’s been globally agreed
that in future the present number of diabetes and obesity cases going to be rise by 2050.
Source (ASPE. 2020. Introduction)
429 million people in world have diabetes and 1.6 million deaths are also directly caused by
diabetes which risen slowly in last past few years.
According to Diabetes UK (2010), most of the population with diabetes type 2 in UK, are over
60 years old, and their level of knowledge and understanding for diabetes is very poor.
According to Diabetes UK, the patient in care homes fail to receive diabetes education and early
screening for diabetes at early stage of diagnose. Study says every 6 out of 10 diabetic patients in
care home do not have any awareness of any information in relation with diabetes.
In USA an estimated cost for diabetes is more than 130 billion dollars every year.
Diabetes Causes
Each type of diabetes is associated with different causes.
Type One Diabetes
This type of diabetes doesn’t have any known cause, but it’s been noticed that if immune system
mistakenly attacks and destroy insulin cells in Pancras, can be a reason of having type one
diabetes. Generally, it’s been transfer from family, or it’s been come in inheritance. These are
the most common known reason of type 1 diabetes.
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Type two Diabetes
This type of diabetes targeted those who have combination of genetic and life style factors.
Excess body weight especially in belly makes body cells more resistant effect of the insulin in
blood sugar. People who doesn’t have proper time table of active life activities or any schedule
routine such as unhealthy eating behaviours, no routine physical activity, smoking etc. This
condition also transfers from families or family members, share genetically disease have likely
chance of type 2 diabetes.
Gestational Diabetes
Many females have gestational diabetes. They do not develop any symptoms. The condition
diagnosed during in pregnancy routine, when the test for blood sugar or blood glucose tolerance
done between 24th or 26th week. In some cases, ladies with gestational diabetes will also
experience increased of thirst and urine in comparison of in their normal routine.
Diabetes and Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress develops during normal metabolic process in the human body, it induced by
environmental and social changing factors in human body. Stress shows a significant effect on
human life and body as it is also because diabetes as well as diabetes related complications in
human being (Wilson, 1998).
Stress play a central role in the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases like diabetes mellitus and its
complication (like peripheral neuropathy) also in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s
disease (AD) and Parkinson Disease (PD) (Biorkhem et al., 2009; Eggers, 2009).
Symptoms in Diabetes
All type of diabetes always leads to many complications in many parts of human body and
increase the risk of dying permanently. Diabetes always caused by in increase level of blood
sugar in human body. General symptoms of diabetes are,
 Unusual Hunger
 Unusual Thirst
 Weight Gain
 Weight loss
 Frequent use of loo (urine)
 Blurry Vision
 Sore throat which doesn’t heal.
Diabetes symptoms also vary between males and females.
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Diabetes symptoms in men: Including the general symptoms of diabetes, in men’s may have
some few exceptional signs such as poor muscle strength, some gentleman seen with decreased
need of sex drive, erectile dysfunction ED are few known symptoms.
Diabetes symptoms in females: Diabetic woman’s can also have some symptoms such as Urine
Tract Infection known as (UTI) and dry itchy skin are more likely symptoms in women.
Type 1 & 2 Diabetes symptoms
Most of the symptoms are similar in both type of diabetes. Type 1&2 diabetes includes,
 Excessive hunger
 Thirst
 Unintentional weight loss
 Frequently need of urine
 Tiredness
 Blurry vision
 Sore throat
Complications in Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious and life -threating disease. It can be managed with very well and proper
medical treatments and with a healthy diet control makes difference in these diseases. It is very
necessary for diabetic patient to be aware with nature of treatment, risk factors and complication
of this disease.
Possible complication includes kidney failure; leg amputation, vision loss (blindness), and nerve
damage are the most common reason of diabetes.
Adults with diabetic have more likely risk of heart attack and stroke. Pregnant woman’s who did
not control their diabetes during pregnancy are at fatal risk of death or other complications, such
as premature birth, Jaundice, and low blood sugar.
In many cases diabetic patients has been diagnosed with heart disease, loss of hearing, foot
damage, skin infection such as (fungal infection) depression and dementia.
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(Source: diabetes.medicinematters.com., 2020)
These symptoms are diagnosed in millions cases every year in the world, almost 3% global
blindness can be attribute to diabetic patient by retinopathy, which occurs in resulted for long
term damage of blood vessels in retina.
Kidney failure is also a leading cause of diabetes, foot ulcer causes when blood flow reduces and
nerve damaged in feet’s and this infection also lead to limb for limb amputation, also patient
suffer with life- time health issues, for rest of their life.
Treatments for Diabetes
There are number of treatments available in healthcare system to help and manage diabetes.
Every patient has different symptoms and causes for diabetes and every diabetes patient lie on
different treatment criteria are different according to individual need type of disease.
Diabetes is treatable illness, it is curable with few different medications, some medicines need to
be taken orally and few medications are prescribed as injected.
Type 1 Diabetes treatment
Patients who are diagnosed with type 1diabetes, their treatment routine is always well-planned
and tough, and as lack of insulin production by the pancreas makes routine hard for type 1
diabetes carrier. Type 1 patients need to follow a strict daily plan, where they need to take
balanced and calorie calculate diet, physical activity play a vital role in their life so being an
active person a is key factor for treating diabetes. So, the type 1 diabetes patient must keep
hobby of having physical activity in their daily life routine, which help them keep diabetes in
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control. Stress is the one of the highlighted cause for diabetes, so diabetic patient needs to be
mentally relax and tension free which is hard obviously in real world but there are so many
counselling and the help is available out there, try to avail all possible help. Insulin is well
known treatment for diabetes but it varies on type of diabetes. Multiple prescribed insulin’s are
part of the treatments, and last not but the least most important is to keep monitoring their blood
sugar with glucose testing system at home. Blood glucose monitoring is the essential routine of
the treatment.
Four types of insulin are most commonly used to treat Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
These insulin’s are differentiating by the timing, like how quickly they will start work in body
and how the effect will last for those insulin’s according to the condition of patient and, please
always remember every diabetic patient is vary to other diabetic patient according to health
condition and requirement.
 Rapid Acting Insulin start working within 15 minutes and last for 3, 4 hours.
 Short Acting Insulin start work within 30 minutes and last for 6, 8 hours.
 Intermediate Acting Insulin start work within 1 to 2 hours and last for 12 to 18 hours
max.
 Long Acting Insulin starts to work in few hours later after injection and last for 24
hours or longer.
Source (Us, A., Us, C., Diabetes, T., Diabetes)
Type 2 Diabetes Treatment
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Best remedy to control or mange T2D is through Healthy Diet and Exercise, changing life style
isn’t just solution to control diabetes, so patients also need to take some medication for lower
their blood sugar in different ways. According to research 40% of patients with T2D require
insulin injections.
Early diagnose of disease is the starting point of living well with any type of diabetes. The longer
person lives with undiagnosed and untreated diabetes the quicker chances will occurs to face
worse consequences with the health. Patient needs to monitor, examined and treated for the
complications, of diseases and have facility to easy excess for basic diagnose such as, blood
sugar testing system. All test should be possible in advance in health care setting, facilities such
as regular scanning for damage eyes and kidneys are early stage of treatment.
Treatment for Gestational diabetes
As this type of diabetes diagnosed in females during their pregnancy so, the patient need to
monitor their blood sugar at early stage of pregnancy and need to monitor blood sugar several
times in a day. If some reason for which sugar level keeps coming high so just changing diet or
doing some exercise isn’t the solution for controlling diabetes especially during pregnancy. Fact
shows that 10% out of 20 % of women with gestational diabetes will need to use insulin to bring
down the level of blood sugar. Insulin is also safe for growing babies. Healthy Diet is also a big
treatment for diabetes patients. Effective approach is available for everyone for prevent the
sophistications which causes premature deaths resulting from all types of diabetes.
All population must have to set some procedures and policies around their home, workplace,
schools which contributes towards healthier life for everyone regardless whether they are
diabetic or not. Healthy eating, daily workout, avoiding smoking and controlling blood sugar are
good examples of living diabetes free healthy life. In T1D blood sugar level rise or falls based on
choice of food patient consume daily. Sugary and starchy food always raises blood sugar very
rapidly, so as fats and proteins causes gradual increase of blood sugar. It’s been medically
advised that patient with T1D limit their intake of carbohydrates in everyday meal and try to
balance carbs intake with insulin dose.
Similarly, in T2D right choice of food possibly help in to control blood sugar in patient body. It
will also help to lose some body weight. Balanced diet and Carb intake play an important part in
T2D routine due to that patients with type 2 diabetes always advised to take small meals portions
throughout the day. It’s necessary that patients with type 2 diabetes include more healthy food
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such as addition of extra portion of vegetables, grains, fish, chicken, olive oils and nuts in their
meal.
Technology
Technology is playing vital roles in everybody’s life nowadays. It is observed that human’s life
depends on digital technology in terms of health, entertainment, education, socially so as
psychologically. Technology is a very powerful innovation; nothing can beat to improve
technology making life easier for world. Without technology life was very difficult, imagine life
in early days, imagine life before Electricity power, life before Phone, life before Transport,
life before computer and smart phones, technology change definition of everything.
Where technology makes complexity of life easy it also put some negative impact on
environment, and social life, as well.
Source (Proper, H., 1997)
Technology such as computers, laptop, tablets, and smart phones make communication easy,
communication became faster and easier, handling money transactions, making important
decisions, socialising, processing confidential data , health treatments, buying and selling online
at home are few examples of innovative technology (Quora.com).
Technology and Health care
Healthcare and technology are working together to transform global health. Thanks to the
development in technology which make things possible now having quick access to advanced
health machine and tools which diagnosed early symptoms and causes of any disease and make
treatments possible more accurate, easy and remotely.
Some of the technological and digital transformations in health care are remote consultations,
telemedicine, AR/VR supported surgeries and health care mobiles app.
Mobile apps allow patients to keep eye on their life style such as smart choice of food calorie
counted meals, manage heart rate, and exercise. Through smarts apps now it’s easy to manage
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doctors’ appointments. Some apps also have facilities to upload Patients prescriptions in advance
and they get medicines deliver at home without going out and saving money of travel cost and
time to visit the pharmacy.
Diabetes & Technology
Technology play an important role in the everyone life, but it makes life much more easier for a
patients with diabetes now days, they manage their diabetes through different types of diabetes
supported technologies like, insulin pen, insulin pumps and digital glucose monitors called CGM
(Continuous Glucose Monitor) which help to monitor blood sugar in patient bodies.
There are lots of different types of technologies which are designed for diabetic patients one of
these smart technology or technique which support mostly our elderly patients, commonly
known as Remote healthcare Patient Monitoring systems, which allows healthcare professionals
to examine their patients wireless and patient stay in home comfort. RHPMS (Remote
Healthcare Patient Monitoring System) provide efficient and cost effective and alternative
clinical monitoring solution for patient inside their home.
Technology creates better options for aging people and brings more ease in their life as we know
aging population ratio around the globe is increasing very rapidly. According to WHO (World
Health Organisation), the number of people aged 60 years and above will almost quadruple to
395 million between now and 2050. Ageing population is responsible for a significant impact on
social and economic structure of society in relation of social welfare and healthcare needs. The
cost associate with healthcare service continuous to create complications because cost of
prescribed medications and instruments which use in hospitals and increase cost of healthcare
surcharges (Who.int. 2020, WHO).
RPMS (Remote Patient Monitoring System) is a technology help our aging population to
monitor outside the clinical settings, which allow individual to manage and improve life with
independence, prevent complication and reduce cost.
RPMS technology use sensors to monitor human body condition those sensors which used in
respect for diabetic patients are divided in two main categories, known as,
 Non – Invasive sensors also distinguished as wearable sensors.
 Invasive sensors distinguished as Implantable sensors.
Non - invasive / wearable sensors
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Wearable sensors are attracting the attention of researchers, entrepreneurs and tech giants in
recent years. Wearable devices easily monitor and record real time information about physical
condition and motion activities. Wearable sensors are based on health monitoring systems have
different type of flexible sensors, which are integrated into textile fabric clothes, elastic bands
and attached or implant in human body. Various wearable products such as biometric shirts and
fitness tracker by Fit bit are now available at market.
Sensors are capable to monitor and measure physical signs such as ECG (Electrocardiogram),
EMG (Electromyogram), HR (Heart Rate), and body temperature, EDA (electro-dermal activity),
BP (blood pressure) and RR (Respiration Rate).
Source (Chaudhry, A., 2020)
Invasive sensors
When we talk about diabetes and technology we must know about some invasive sensors such as
CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) and FGM (Flash Glucose Monitor).
Many diabetic patients already use medications like insulin pens and blood sugar monitors.
Type 1 & Type 2 patients take insulin, most common way of taking insulin are insulin pen, new
technology introduced insulin pumps and smart insulin pens.
Insulin pump is a small electronic device that gives patient body regular insulin, according
patient needs throughout the day and night.
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Source: (The Pharmaceutical Journal, 2017)
Smart mobile app
Smart phones are big revolution in digital market to, and now smart technology and healthcare
have been coming together from last few years. AI empowering healthcare system and scientist
and researchers are constantly developing new technologies to making health care system more
strong and remote accessible for humans.
Technology to help and monitor and manage patient diabetes through smart phone app like meals
carb counting, physical activity monitor is known examples of smart app technologies.
These apps ranging from diabetes monitoring tools to AI powered devices turning our phones
into medical tools and one-way scientist are helping people to control the rising cost of health
care system. Diabetes affects more than 4 million populations in the UK at present. These figures
represent 6% of the UK population or 1 in every 16-people having diabetes.
There is variety of apps available in market to download on smart mobile like Apple phone and
other Android phones. Some apps are freed available to download and some need referral of you
GP.
 Some well know diabetes apps are, (Diabetic Nation. 2020 )
 Diabetes in check
 Diabetes M:
 My Sugar
 Glooko
 Glucose Buddy
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Source (Diabetic Nation. 2020)
There are many more apps that are available to download, according to patients needs to be
satisfied. Smart mobile apps are playing a vital role in promoting and cost effective healthy life
styles. Telemedicine and m Health are a new era in medicine.
Conclusion
In aim of this study is to understand the diabetes, risk factors and complications in details,
Diabetes Mellitus is considered a chronic disease for health. It predicts this will turn into global
epidemic; its complication causes many devastating health problems. Number of patients are
increasing day by day every year and diagnosed with any type1 and type2 Diabetes, especially
elderly population whose risk factor is high according to UK statistics. There was necessary to
take some initiative to implement new strategies for support aging population or the population
who have limited sources to affordable health care facilities to maximise comfort of healthcare
patient’s especially diabetic patients.
Early diagnose of disease improve general outcomes of treatment and reduce complications.
Healthy diet, regular physical activity, avoiding tobacco, losing weight prevents, delay and treat
the onset of type 2 diabetes. Healthy diet can reduce consequences of diabetes. Stress, obesity
family inheritance, is common factors having diabetes in patients.
Though diabetes is non-curable disease but we can control and manage the fatal consequences by
doing early diagnose and taking proper treatment on time. Diabetes is considered a slow poison
which making human body weak day by day if treatment doesn’t start on time, it will damage
kidneys, hearts, skin, vision, and limb. Technologies play a vital role in healthcare and checking
blood sugar, taking medicines, keeping healthy life style, smart mobile technology and invasive
and non-invasive sensor are big development in health care system.
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Remote Patient Health Monitoring system is also great achievements by scientists, where
through AI devices, patients monitor by healthcare professional’s through wireless technology in
comfort of their homes, and it makes positive impact on social and economic difference on
patient health and reduces the burden of health care cost.
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